SUNSET: 
Some Pairs of Stars Weren’t Born That Way
Two massive stars might’ve been born separately before getting tangled in each other’s orbits, revealing a new way that binaries form.
The Helix Nebula is Hurling Clumps of Gas through Space
The star at the heart of the oft-observed Helix Nebula powered a clumpy wind before it died. Now, new images capture these clumps’ dissolution into the space between stars.
New Images Confirm: Betelgeuse Has a Companion
New analysis of observations taken in 2024 confirm a stellar companion for Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion.
Exploding Stars Sprinkled Ancient Earth With Radioactive Iron and Plutonium
Exploding stars have left their radioactive mark on our planet. Now scientists have found more evidence of a particularly violent event in Earth’s more ancient past.
Double Whammy: Binary Supernova in Gemini
New analysis reveals a tight relationship between two supernova remnants in the outer Milky Way.
Catching the Earliest Stars in the Universe
New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope might have caught the signature of the universe's first stars.
New Astro Images: Saturn, the Crab Nebula, and a Newborn Planet
Striking images from Hubble, Webb, and the Very Large Telescope dive into Saturn's atmosphere, capture the Crab Nebula's expansion, and reveal a newborn planet.
White Dwarf Discovered Gobbling Material from Gamma Cassiopeiae
Powerful X-rays from the nearby naked-eye star Gamma Cas mystified astronomers for decades. Now, a new observatory reveals that they come from its white dwarf companion.
Super-Bright Supernovae Are Birth Cries of Magnetars
The disk of gas that spirals onto a newborn magnetar wobbles, creating "bumps" in the brightness of the supernova that accompanied this object's birth.
The Solar Cycle Leaves Its Fingerprint on the Sun’s Interior
Astronomers have used 40 years’ worth of data to peer inside the Sun, revealing that the solar cycle can leave a distinct fingerprint beneath the visible surface.
Astronomers Witness Transformation of One of the Largest Stars
One of the largest known stars — a red supergiant — suddenly shrank and heated up, transforming into a different kind of star.
Astronomers Discover Second Failed Supernova Candidate
Astronomers might have spotted a star in the Andromeda Galaxy collapsing directly into a black hole, without the accompanying fanfare of a supernova.
The Ring Nebula Has an “Iron Bar”
New observations reveal a strange structure in the iconic nebula that has evaded astronomers for centuries.
What the Helix Nebula Has in Common with a Supernova Remnant
Sculpted gases in the Helix Nebula, revealed in a new Webb image, look like the firework-like tendrils in a distant amateur-discovered supernova remnant — here's why.
Watch Stellar Explosions Near and Far (Videos)
New videos from the Solar Orbiter and the Chandra X-ray Observatory capture magnetic avalanches on the Sun and the exploding remnants of a star 17,000 light-years away.
Nights with Mira, a Most Wonderful Star
Mira the Wonderful is back! Of course, it's always been there, but now it's near maximum brightness and easily visible with the unaided eye.
Betelgeuse’s Elusive Companion Might Be Making Waves
In new observations, astronomers detect a moving wake of gas in the outer layers of the red supergiant Betelgeuse, offering fresh evidence for a long-suspected secondary star.
Did Asteroids Collide Near Fomalhaut – Again?
The young, nearby star may be experiencing an episode of repeated, violent collisions within its forming planetary system.
Passing Baby Stars Lock Arms in Rare Astronomical Find
Astronomers have discovered a bridge of gas and dust between two protostars, the signature of a close encounter 15,000 years ago.
Did Astronomers See a Star Explode Twice?
Astronomers are trying to determine if they've witnessed a complex stellar explosion or a relatively ordinary supernova.
